USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 85
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Rev. Frederick C. Milius, pastor of St. Michael's German Evangelical church, at Waltham, ably fulfills the ideal of the village pastor. Active, well-read and deeply devout, he combines justice with charity, and kindly consideration for the sinner with his sternness toward wrong. He has built up a great organiza- tion, and the church will stand as his monument for centuries to come. Born in North Collins, Erie county, New York, son of
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Michael and Caroline (Smith) Milius, he received a good educa- tion in his native town and graduated from the Lutheran Theo- logical Seminary, at Buffalo, N. Y., coming to Waltham in 1884. The Rev. Milius married Anna Dette, daughter of Louis and Caroline Dette, and they are the parents of four children: Anna, Emma, Hugo and Herbert. Anna is the wife of Herman Matter and they have one child, Beata, two years old. Emma is the wife of Julius Kapke and they have two children, Leonard and Alvin. Michael Milins, father of the Rev. Frederick C. Milius, came from Germany with his parents about 1840, and settled near Buffalo, N. Y. He learned the trade of carriage painter and finally, in 1860, established a business of his own, which he engaged in at North Collins, that state, until his death, June 3, 1910.
John H. Anderson, a hardworking farmer of Clayton township, was born in Adams township, July 7, 1872, son of Hans and Isabell Anderson. He was educated in the country schools, and when twenty years of age started in life on his own responsibility. He worked out by the month, then on the railroad and then at the carpenter trade one year. For four years he rented land, and then purchased eighty acres. He now has 160 acres in section 17, Clayton township, and on this he now conducts mixed farming. He has forty-five head of cattle, which he raises for dairy and beef purposes, a drove of hogs and several head of grade Per- cheron horses. His house is well located, and an evergreen drive adds greatly to the appearance of the place. Mr. Anderson is a Republican in politics, has been road overseer two years and treasurer of school district 74 for two terms. The subject of this sketch was married January 1, 1896, to Christina Huseby, daugh- ter of Arne A. Huseby, of Marchall township, and this union has resulted in seven children: Selma, Ella, Ida, Herbert, Arnold, Adeline and Joel. All except Adeline and Joel are attending school and doing well in their studies. The family faith is that of the Lutheran church. Hans and Isabella Anderson came to Ameriea from Norway and settled in Dane county, Wisconsin. Two years later they came to Adams township and purchased land on which they farmed until the death of Hans A., in 1910. Mrs. Isabella Anderson is now living in Marshall township.
E. E. Edwards, a modern farmer of Waltham township, where he owns 200 well tilled acres in sections 26 and 27, was born in the township where he still resides, September 5, 1873, son of Milton and Dorothy (Johnson) Edwards, the former of whom came from Illinois about 1871, and located in Waltham township. The subject of this sketch received his early education in Wal- tham and Wilder, Minn., and Osage, Iowa, and has devoted his life to farming. He married Jennie A. Hunt, November 11, 1896, daughter of E. F. Hunt and Mary Kezar, his wife, and they are
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the parents of four children: Engene Everett, born February 12, 1900; Lester Lee, born October 16, 1901, and died November 5, 1901; Drusilla Wave, born December 21, 1904, and died March 19, 1905; and Mark Wesley, born October 11, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Edwards is a member of the M. W. A. at Sargeant.
Truls S. Green, an honored resident of Pleasant Valley, was born in Norway, July 1, 1842, son of Sven and Anna Green, now deceased. He came to America in 1870 and after landing at Quebec came directly to Dane county, Wisconsin, where he worked out a year. Then he was employed as a farm hand in Olmsted county four years. Subsequently he purchased eighty acres of land in section 26, Pleasant Valley. He now owns a quarter sec- tion of good land, and has conducted diversified farming, having about twenty-five head of Durham cattle and ten head of Chester White hogs. Mr. Green is a Republican in politics, and an attend- ant of the Lutheran church. He was married in November, 1877, to Anna Nelson, of Rockdell township. Anna Nelson, daughter of Nels and Christine Nelson, was born in Wisconsin, May 16, 1852, and after two years was taken by her parents to Rockdell town- ship. At the age of eighteen she started to work out part of the time, until the age of twenty-three, when she was married. Mr. and Mrs. Green have had eight children, of whom four are dead. Anna was born February 1, 1876, and was married to Christ Nel- son, January 11, 1896. She lives in Grand Meadow township. Christine was born November 12, 1878, and died Mareh 3, 1896. Sam was born in June, 1881, and died in March, 1882. Alfred was born July 4, 1884. He is employed in a department store in Min- neapolis, and owns a quarter section of land in North Dakota. Carl was born January 26, 1887, and died September 10, 1901. Walter, the first, was born January 21, 1892, and died October 10, 1892. Walter, the second, was born December 11, 1893, and is at home. Theodore was born January 15, 1889. He has rented his father's farm for the past two years, and has managed it success- fully, owning stock and six horses of his own. He is an estimable young man, well liked in the community.
Olaus Thorson, assessor and prominent farmer of Bennington township, was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, December 23, 1861, son of Thor Knutson and Betsy Knutson, his wife. These worthy people, natives of Norway, came to America in 1861, lived in Rock county, Wisconsin, until 1868, then came to Fillmore county, this state, purchased 120 acres, and followed agricultural pursuits, dying, respectively, in November, 1892, and January, 1876. Olaus received his education in the district schools, lost his mother when he was fifteen, was reared on the farm and there remained until 1889, when he came to Mower county and purchased 160 acres of
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land in Bennington township, where he erected buildings and improved the land. He has added to his place from time to time until he now owns 320 acres, all under a high degree of cultiva- tion. Mr. Thorson is a Republican in politics, served nine years as school treasurer, and is now in his seventh year as clerk of the same district. In addition to his real estate, he is a stockholder in the Farmers' Co-operative Creamery and the Farmers' Co-opera- tive Elevator at Ostrander. The subject of this sketch was mar- ried October 4, 1884, to Oleva Barnes, of Fillmore county, and they have eight children: Clarence, Bernard, Oscar, Oneay, Will- iam, Owen, Roosevelt and Leona, all living at home except Clar- ence, who is managing a 240-acre farm in section 21, Bennington township. The family faith is that of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Thorson is known as the "threshing machine man" of the community, having operated four different threshers in the town of Bennington since he first started in 1891. In the fall of 1910 he sold his threshing machine and threshing business to his son, Bernard Thorson. When Mr. Thorson started in this line in 1891 he purchased a Huber engine and a Columbian Victory sepa- rator. His second thresher was the Minneapolis, and his last two were the. J. I. Case thresher.
Robert A. Anderson, progressive farmer of Marshall township, was born in Mower county in 1879, son of Andrew R. and Eliza- beth Anderson, pioneers. He was educated in the county schools, and assisted on the farm until twenty-four years of age, at which time he inherited 240 acres of land in section 25, Marshall town- ship. Since that time he has conducted general farming, making a specialty of dairying. He belongs to the Norwegian Lutheran church, votes the Republican ticket and belongs to the Modern Woodmen. Mr. Anderson was married in 1903 to Clara Alfson, and they have two bright children, Cora and Arnold.
Andrew R. Anderson, an early settler of Marshall township, was born in Norway, November 17, 1855. When he was thirteen years old he came to America with his parents and located in Decorah, Iowa, where his parents farmed, and there he grew to manhood, spending his time in school, and on the farm. At the age of nineteen he went to the Dakotas, but this was the summer of the grasshopper plague, and not finding things favorable there he came to Mower county. In 1874 he purchased eighty acres of unimproved land in section 25, built a house, made many improve- ments and carried on general farming, adding to his land from time to time until he owned 240 acres. Mr. Anderson was assessor and town clerk several terms, and was also a teacher in the county, his education being obtained by self study. He was married in 1879 to Elizabeth Rasmussen, a daughter of one of the
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pioneer families. This union was blessed with three children: Robert A., Andrew O. and Emma Syrenius.
Chris Anderson was born in Denmark, April 9, 1863, son of Hans and Anna (Christiansen) Anderson, both of whom died in the old country. Chris Anderson received his education in his native country and came to America in 1880, loeating in Austin township, where he engaged in agricultural work. In 1901 he became head foreman for the A. H. Davidson farm, of 264 acres, which position he still retains with much eredit, being energetic and thoroughly capable. He is a Republican, attends the Luth- eran church and belongs to the Danish Brotherhood. The subject of this sketch was married in October, 1893, to Anna Prestegaard, and they have four children : Hans, Mabel, Helen and Elmer, all at school.
Zalmon Ames, one of the early settlers of Mower county, was born in Genesee county, New York, August 9, 1820. He grew to manhood in New York, and was there married to Anna Avery, October 12, 1844. She was a native of Chautauqua county, New York, born there in 1830. She died in 1850, leaving three chil- dren : Franeis, Cerenias C. (now deceased) and Alfred O. Mrs. Ames was again married in 1851 to Mary Avery. In 1854 they migrated to Illinois, settling in that state in January of that year. In 1857 they came to Mower county and located on seetion 7, Red Rock township. His wife died October 30, 1875, leaving five ehil- dren : Henry A., Mary E., Fred D., Warren and Hattie L. Mary E. married George Wood, and they live in Spring Creek, Pa. Fred D. lives in Chicago. Warren lives in Verndale, Minn. Hattie L. is now Mrs. Carter.
Henry A. Ames was born in Red Roek township, December 7, 1858, and has spent the larger part of his adult years in Austin. being employed for some years with Alonzo Deeker in the coal business. He is now with J. F. Fairbanks. Mr. Ames married Barbara Sachse, and there are six children in the family: Bertha, Ettie, Esther, Graee, Caroline and Donald D. Bertha is the wife of William Lambert and has one daughter, Ruth.
Joseph M. Beck, Austin bookbinder, was born in New York city, January 27, 1868, son of Robert and Emma (Canfield) Beek, natives respectively of Ireland and England. They located in New York city, and there Robert Beck engaged in the retail meat trade for many years, dying in 1890, several years earlier than his wife, who survived him until 1906. Joseph M. received his edneation in the publie schools, and then learned the bookbinding trade. In 1887 he worked in Chicago a short period and then took up his abode in St. Paul for six years, still working at his trade. In 1894 he came to Austin and opened a small bindery in the office of the Register. In 1907 he moved to his present quarters in the
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Revord block, where his business has grown and prospered. Mr. Beck is a Republican in politics, belongs to the C. of H. and the R. A. and attends the Catholic church. He was married October 29, 1889, at Inver Grove, Dakota county, this state, to Anna Brown, and this union has been blessed with four children : Agnes, Joseph, Jr., Anna M. and Florence M., all at home and attending sehool.
Robert M. Boyd, a retired farmer living in Austin, was born in Janesville, Wis., August 3, 1846, son of Robert and Ellen (Bufton) Boyd, natives of Ireland. Robert M. was reared on a farm, and remained in Rock county until 1877, when he came to Mower county and located in Austin township. Later he went to Lyle township, and farmed there until 1895, when he retired and moved to Austin. He married for his first wife Sebenia Cunning- ham, daughter of Richard Cunningham. She died July 20, 1900, leaving five living children: Mary; Robert A .; Ellen, wife of Joseph Redman; Ormanzo and Amelia. He was married the second time November 4, 1903, to Mary A. Hoffman, daughter of Jacob Fiezel and Mary Sarah Ott, his wife. Robert M. Boyd served in the Civil war, enlisting in March, 1863, in Co. B, 37th Wis. Vol. Inf., and serving until the close of the war.
R. A. Boyd, the popular local agent for the Standard Oil Company at Austin, was born in Wisconsin, March 4, 1874, son of Robert M. Boyd, also of Austin. R. A. Boyd was brought to Mower county when two years of age and was reared on a farm, remaining at home until 1902, when he came to Austin, and engaged in the draying business. In 1905 he commenced work for the Standard Oil Company, and thirteen months of this service so demonstrated his fitness and ability that he was given charge of the local district, consisting of Austin, Adams, Lyle, Rose Creek, Elkton, Dexter, Renova, Brownsdale, Waltham, Lansing, Corning, Oakland, Moscow and London, in which position he has since remained, dealing in all kinds of illuminating oil, machine oil, naphtha, turpentine and gasoline, and keeping three teams on the road all the while. Mr. Boyd served three years in Co. G, Second Regiment, M. N. G., and at one time was appointed a member of the school board in Lyle township to fill a vacancy. He is a member of the M. W. A. and the F. O. E. The subject of this sketch was married March 30, 1896, to Mabel Mannering, and to this union have been born two daughters, Mildred, November 16, 1900, and Hazel, June 18, 1903. The family faith is that of the Baptist church.
Barney Bushman, for many years street commissioner of the city of Austin, came to Mower county in 1878 and was employed for a time as section hand on the C., M. & St. P. line. After two years of this work, he was engaged for seven years in the car
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shops, and then farmed two years. His wide acquaintance and his interest in public affairs caused him to enter the political arena, and for sixteen years he served as street commissioner. Ile has now retired from active work, but still takes an interest in all publie movements. Mr. Bushman married Tiena Helinsing, daugh- ter of Gerhard Helmsing, and to this union have been born five children : Gerhard, Henry, August, Frank and Katie, the latter now being Mrs. Albert Thompson. Barney Bushman was born in Germany, October 27, 1841, son of Frederick and Katie (Linne- man) Bushman. He came to this country with his wife and family of four children, landing at Baltimore, and coming direct to Austin.
C. Perry Bell, now deceased, was one of the venerable pioneers of Mower county, and his influence was ever exerted in behalf of that which was righteous and just. He was born November 24, 1828, on a farm in Garrettsville, Otsego county, New York, where he was reared. His father was a native of Yorkshire, England, who came to America in 1802, married Abigail Perry, and ended his days in Albany, N. Y. The son was named from the famous commodore of the war of 1812. In 1856, N. G. Perry, a cousin of C. Perry Bell, came to Mower county with a party of settlers who located in Lansing township, about three miles north of Austin. In the spring of 1857 came the subject of this sketch. He pre- empted land in Udolpho township, but soon after purchased eighty acres in Lansing township from N. G. Perry. On this place he settled, and there he successfully conducted general farming, add- ing to his place from time to time until he owned 338 acres. Dur- ing the fall and winter of 1858 he lived in Wisconsin, but in the spring again returned to his farm. In 1863 he enlisted in Com- pany B, Second Minnesota Cavalry, and engaged in the famous Indian expedition to Fort Sully and through the "bad lands." He was mustered out in the winter of 1865, and again returned to Mower county. In the early days Mr. Bell was the good Samaritan of his neighborhood, supplying flour to his starving neighbors. Often upon his return from a thirty-mile trip he found his floor covered with sleeping men, waiting for a share of his flour, some of them coming from as far away as Moscow. Mr. Bell was a member of MeIntire Post, G. A. R., and the members of that order attended his funeral in a body. His death, June 6, 1906, was a distinet loss to the community in which for so many years he had been an honored factor. The subject of this sketch was married December 18, 1875, to Rebecca Garred, and to this union were born two children, Cora and William. Cora is now Mrs. Maurice Case. William married Ada Carll, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Bartlett) Carll. The father of Mr. Bell was Christopher Bell.
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John O. Blom was born in Sweden in 1871, the son of Oscar and Johanna Blom, who came to the United States about 1890, and located in Mower county. John O. was educated in Sweden, came to Mower county with his parents, and when twenty years of age started in life for himself as a farmer. He is now leasing the E. A. Taylor property in section 28, Marshall township, and expects soon to buy a nice farm of his own. He has been on the Taylor property since 1903. Mr. Blom was married in 1893 to Helen Rolf, daughter of Fred Rolf, of Marshall township, and this union has resulted in two children : Walter and Grace. He attends the Lutheran church, votes the Republican ticket, and belongs to the United Workmen.
Harry Bradley, retired business man, has seen much of life on the continent and islands of Europe, and has also had his share in the commercial activities of Le Roy. He was born in Yorkshire, England, June 27, 1840, son of Joseph and Sarah (Eastwood) Bradley, the former a cloth merchant of Yorkshire who died in 1850, the latter following him to the grave in 1880. To this union twelve children were born: Sarah, Mary and Isabella live in Eng- land; Harry lives in Le Roy, Minn .; Anna, Emma, John, Jane, Joseph and three unnamed infants are deceased. Harry Bradley received his education in the Tollersfield Academy of Yorkshire, England, and graduated in 1858, after which he went to London and engaged as a draftsman with W. M. Crossland, an eminent architect, for five years. During the succeeding seven years he remained in the same employ, traveling extensively in France, Germany, Italy, England, Scotland and Wales, learning the high- est arts of his profession. Then he returned to Yorkshire, engaged in business for himself, and later went to London, where he still followed his profession. It was in 1881 that he left England and sailed for America, locating at once in Le Roy, where he was clerk and bookkeeper in the Frisbee and Larrabee drug stores. Later he embarked in the lumber and coal business, in which he was very successful, having his son, Harry E., as a partner a part of the time. In 1910 he sold out his business and retired. Harry Bradley was married December 31, 1881, to Mary Ann Bradley, who died August 1, 1909. In the family is one son, Harry E., born March 6, 1883. Mr. Bradley is a Democrat in politics, is a mem- ber of the Episcopal church, and affiliates with the M. W. A.
Hiram H. Bither, retired farmer, living in Le Roy village, was born in Aroostook county, Maine, August 9, 1836, son of Benjamin and Anna (Tyler) Bither, twelfth of a family of five girls and ten boys. Hiram H. left Maine in 1856, and located in Black River Falls, Wis., where he stayed eight months. Then he farmed in Elk River, Minn., for eleven years, and in 1868 sold out and located in Oakdale, Howard county, Iowa. In 1892 he sold this
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place and came to Le Roy, where he purchased a small farm of twenty aeres, which he sold in 1904. Mr. Bither is a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 74, A. F. & A. M. By his first wife, Saphronia, daughter of John Felch, he has five children: Harry E., died at the age of two years and ten months; Edwin H. is the second; Susan E. is the wife of Chester Cadwallader; William lives in Chicago ; Saphronia died in infancy. Mrs. Saphronia Felch Bither died in July, 1870. Later Mr. Bither married Harriet R., daughter of John Burbank. She died April 10, 1895. In 1896 Mr. Bither married Anna Forthum, a native of Le Roy, of Norwegian descent. There is an adopted child, Helen M., in the family.
Thomas Cahill, the genial proprietor of the Taopi Hotel, is a native of Connecticut, born in New London, November 12, 1844, son of Dennis and Ann Riley Cahill, who brought him to Dodge county, Wisconsin, in 1845, at one year of age, taking him at eleven years of age to Sauk county, in the same state. Here he received his education and grew to manhood. In 1866 he engaged in farming for himself, in Sank county, an occupation he fol- lowed there three years. He then worked at the timber business in the same county for a similar period. In 1873 he came to Mower county and located in Le Roy township, engaging in farming for one summer, after which he took up the stock and grain buying business, an occupation which he followed until 1891, purchasing grain at Le Roy, Chester, Riceville and Taopi, still maintaining his home at Le Roy. In 1901 he removed to Taopi, and continued grain buying two more years. In July, 1893, he rented the Taopi Hotel, which he conducted as landlord until 1902, when he purchased the property, and has since been both landlord and owner. Since coming to Taopi, Mr. Cahill has served as president of the village council, and is now village recorder. Aside from the hotel and buildings in Taopi, he owns a residence and seventeen lots in Le Roy. Mr. Cahill is a Demo- crat and a Catholic. He was married February 23, 1867, to Bridget E. Walsh, and to this union have been born five children, of whom two are living: Mary Ellen, now Mrs. H. J. Gosha, operator at Farmington, Minn., and Katherine, who lives at home. Those deceased are John S., James and Thomas.
Henry P. Cronan, a successful farmer of Mower county, has 160 acres of good land in section 25, Windom township, and car- ries on general farming in an energetic manner, which is highly productive of excellent results. He was born March 6, 1867, at Ossian, Iowa, son of Patriek and Mary (Grace) Cronan, who were born in Ireland and married in America, to which country they immigrated, Patriek dying in 1877 and his wife in 1904. Henry P. was brought to Mower county as a boy, and here received his early education, assisting his parents with farm work. He has
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since devoted his entire life to agriculture. Mr. Cronan is a member of the Workmen and the Degree of Honor and is a com- municant of the Catholic church. He was married May 17, 1892, to Laura E. Woodward, daughter of James and Helen (Kreglok) Woodward, of New York. This union has resulted in four chil- dren: Ruth B., born February 16, 1893, a teacher in Windom township; Reginald T., born August 4, 1894; Helen M., born November 9, 1898, and Rodger B., born March 21, 1903.
C. B. Dibble, of Austin, sanitary dairyman and owner of the North Star Dairy Company, was born in Michigan in May, 1856, the son of D. K. Dibble. He came to Minnesota with his parents at one year of age, and lived with them in Dodge county, where the father pursued his occupation as a farmer, being also em- ployed in the county treasurer's office. The subject of this sketch remained in Dodge county until 1891, when he came to Austin. Since then, with the exception of about two years, he has been in the dairy business. The North Star Dairy Company, of which he is the owner, does a general dairy business, retailing milk, cream, butter and ice cream. Mr. Dibble commenced in this line by selling milk from his farm, two miles out of Austin, and gradu- ally drifted into his present large business, increasing the number of his customers by hard work and honest dealing. Mr. Dibble is well liked socially, being a member of the Modern Woodmen and the Eagles. He pays his religious duties at the Methodist church. In early life he married Idell Getman, daughter of Con- rad and Mary Getman, and this union has been blessed with four sons, Daniel K., Roy G., Bert E. and Ralph, all of whom are employed with their father in the North Star Dairy Company. Daniel K. married Lettie Dungaw, and they have three children : Irene, Esther and Charles. Roy G. married Ada Storey. Bert E. married Alta Minto.
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